Tag Archives: Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein to Play Bella Abzug in New Off B'way Solo Show

Harvey Fierstein to Play Bella Abzug in New Off B’way Solo Show

In a press release “Bella Bella” is described as “raucous, heart-rending and absurdly humorous.” A synopsis gives the following description of the show:

The Manhattan Theater Club announced on Thursday that its 2019-20 season will include the world premiere of “Bella Bella,” a new solo show written by and starring Harvey Fierstein, which casts him as Bella Abzug, the outspoken New York congresswoman and activist.

Set in 1976, on the eve of her bid to become New York State’s first female Senator, “Bella Bella” finds this larger-than-life, truth-slinging, groundbreaking, hat-wearing icon squirreled away in the bathroom of a midtown hotel awaiting that night’s election results while a coterie of family and celebs await her entrance.

Harvey Fierstein’s breakthrough gay play, “Torch Song Trilogy,” in which was recently revived on Broadway under the name “Torch Song.” He has written the book for the musicals “Kinky Boots” and “La Cage Aux Folles.”

It is poetic justice that a longtime gay activist like Fierstein play Ms. Abzug who steadfastly fought for LGBT rights and courageously introduced the original version of the Equality Act on May 14th of 1974 in Congress  — the first piece of federal legislation to address discrimination based on sexual orientation.

WATCH: NBC’s Hairspray LIVE! Performs “You Can’t Stop The Beat” for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, “Hairspray Live!” takes place in 1962 Baltimore. Plump teenager Tracy Turnblad’s dream is to dance on “The Corny Collins Show,” a local TV program. When against all odds Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight and meets a colorful array of characters, including the resident dreamboat, Link; the ambitious mean girl, Amber; an African-American boy she meets in detention, Seaweed; and his mother, Motormouth Maybelle, the owner of a local record store. Tracy’s mother is the indomitable Edna, and she eventually encourages Tracy on her campaign to integrate the all-white “Corny Collins Show.”

“Hairspray Live!” features an all-star cast including Harvey Fierstein, Jennifer Hudson, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Derek Hough, Dove Cameron, Garrett Clayton, Ariana Grande, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Ephraim Sykes, exciting newcomer Maddie Baillio and special guest stars Billy Eichner, Sean Hayes, Andrea Martin and Rosie O’Donnell.

“Hairspray Live!” will air from Los Angeles on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

 

Harvey Fierstein: ‘You know what boys? Time to stop fucking with us,’”

Harvey Fierstein

The awesome Harvey Fierstein appeared on The Michelangelo Signorile Show  on Sirus XM today where he let loose on “Rat Putin”, anti-gay churches and told the gay community thats its time to stand up, fight back, and not let others take advantage of us or use us as scapegoats anymore.

“It seemed to me a really good time for us as a community to say, ‘You know what boys? Time to stop fucking with us,’” he said, also backing the boycott of Stolichnaya Vodka that has taken off worldwide. “It’s time for them to stop to making money. Time for churches to stop raising money by demonizing us. Time for politicians to stop making money by demonizing us. It’s time to make the gay community too dangerous to do that too. Russia happens to be a great place to do it because Putin — I call him ‘Rat Putin’ — is such a villain. I think there’s an entire movement here and an opportunity to say the gay community is no longer available to be your scapegoat.” Fierstein urged LGBT people to take a stand. “A lot of people are saying, ‘We can’t do this, we can’t do that,’” he said. “You can do everything. You don’t necessarily see the results right away. We have to create an environment where we are too dangerous to mess with. “

YOU GO GURL!

You can listens to Fierstein’s entire interview below.